Shahajah Miah, 30, went round to the home of the victim in Norwich and made threats to his family in a bid to get him to pay a £480 drugs debt, Norwich Crown Court heard.

However police were contacted about the threats and so when Miah returned to the address instead of any cash for him, officers were waiting to arrest him.

Miah was also found to have nine wraps of crack cocaine and heroin on him and £1894 in cash.

Stephen Spence, prosecuting, said when police seized Miah’s phone they found text messages with blackmail threats to the victim and also text messages relating to drug deals.

Miah of Rosary Road, Norwich admitted blackmail and possession of drugs with intent to supply and also money laundering.

Jailing him for four years, Judge Stephen Holt said that Miah had gone round to the home of the victim and issued threats to the victim’s father .

“It must have been very distressing to him saying you would drive his son down to London in the boot of your car if he did not pay out the money.”

He said that when Miah’s phone was seized there were 1200 texts some of them relating to the threats he had made to the victim and some relating to drug dealing.

However Judge Holt said that Miah deserved credit for his plea and accepted that he was a street dealer who dealt in drugs to help fund his own habit.

Michael Clare, for Miah said : “He was dealing to fund his own habit.”

He said that not all the money seized by police was the result of drug dealing as Miah also worked.

Mr Clare said that Miah also made an “unlikely blackmailer.”

He is not criminally sophisticated and not academically gifted. He left a trail of text messages.”

He said that Miah’s main thoughts were for his new wife and on his release planned to move away from Norfolk.

Speaking after the case, Detective Constable Craig Leeder of Norfolk Constabulary, said: “Miah has been involved in the supply of drugs in Norwich and has resorted to blackmail to further his illegal endeavours.

“Drug dealing and its associated criminality can blight communities and Miah, his threats and his supply have been removed from Norwich whilst he spends the next few years in prison.

Anyone with information about drug misuse in their area should contact police on 101 – it will not be tolerated and anyone taking part in drug dealing can expect a similar outcome to Miah.”